After thirty-three years of publishing local newspapers it is time for Paul DiModica and Dennis Cawley to turn in our press passes. By the time you read this the newspaper group will have passed on to Jeff Sullivan, an integral employee of this company over the last 10 years, and his family.

The decision to sell was a difficult one. There’s an old saying that goes, “If you love what you do you’ll never work a day in your life,” and it is so true. From our first published issue on Dec. 2, 1992 in Norwood until now, we have considered it an honor and privilege to represent your neighborhoods. During all these years nothing was more sacred than earning and maintaining your trust which, unfortunately, has become harder and harder to do.

Never has faith in news reporting been as low as it is now. The reality is some media, both print and visual, have strayed from the mission of generating objective and fair information. Politics, egos and personal agendas have sullied the integrity of much of what you read and watch. It’s naïve to think that the decisions of billionaires to buy newspapers and television and radio networks are based purely on sound financial principles. Power has always been an aphrodisiac, never more so than now, and there are no tools more powerful than the ones that can manipulate the hearts and minds of a trusting population. However, times are changing and people are now turning to other sources for news including independent streaming and podcasting, thereby reducing both the revenue and influence of these once impeachable monoliths.

Local news outlets have also taken a hit, but not for the same reasons. A lot of businesses believe a greater return on investment of their advertising dollars is generated via the internet and, to some degree, for certain products and services it’s true. However, readership of local publications, particularly ours, has never been stronger because our news is unique. Seniors want to know what services are available in town; those owning homes want to know what is happening in their schools, with their taxes, and what’s going on downtown. Local crime is always a must read.

Big news outlets can’t possibly cover all of this; it’s too large an expense and too small a reward. That’s why your local rags are so important and that you continue to read them and express your thoughts and opinions to them. And please continue to shop our advertisers and tell them you appreciate their support of local newspapers.

So, as we fade into the sunset we want you to know that Jeff and his crew believe as strongly as we always did that accurate, honest, and ethical news generation and reporting are the cornerstones of success; otherwise we wouldn’t have sold to him. We also want to thank all of the past reporters, columnists, admin staff and other employees who were so important to our success. We couldn’t have done it without you. For 33 years your hard work and dedication to your craft have improved the lives of those we reached.

Finally, to our readers; thank you for picking up this newspaper every week. This simple act was what kept us going over all these years. It was evidence that we were doing something worthwhile and that we were doing something that mattered. What more could a couple of neighborhood kids have asked for?

Paul DiModica

Dennis Cawley